| Mini Golf |
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| SOUTH CAROLINA (page 1) |
| Myrtle Beach is considered the mini golf capital of the world with over 40 courses along a 25-mile strip. However, there are virtually no old courses left. Either they were demolished or redeveloped into contemporary rocks-and-water courses. For more about Myrtle Beach, see my motel page. |
| Captain Cain Golf [closed] Myrtle Beach, SC | |
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Captain Cain Golf is one of the oldest courses left in town. Sadly, it closed at the end of the 2004 season after these photos were taken. Captain Cain obviously tried to keep up with its neighbors by adding streams, boulders, landscaping and new greens. The desperate-sounding sign which was up in 2004 read "Pay All Day $5, Play and Return". This place is surrounded by newer and much more elaborate courses.
Surely, there must have been loop-de-loops and other nautical-theme obstacles on this course which was built in 1975 (or possibly earlier). The whale, the ship which doubles as the office, the lighthouse, and the Captain statue were the only traces left of earlier days. As of 2005, Captain Cain is closed and it seems unlikely that it will ever reopen since most of the holes have already been removed. In 2007, it was announced that the Captain and the ship will be demolished. For more, see this website. |
| Rainbow Falls Golf Myrtle Beach, SC | |
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| Rainbow Falls Golf appears to be the oldest mini golf left in Myrtle Beach. It has 1960s-era James Sidwell figures similar to those at Adventure Golf in Pigeon Forge, TN. |
| Hawaiian Rumble North Myrtle Beach, SC |
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Hawaiian Rumble claims to be the most famous mini golf course in the world. It was rated #1 in America by Golf Magazine and is the home of two national tournaments. It has been the Hawaiian Rumble since at least the early 1990s. The same owners run the Hawaiian Caverns in Myrtle Beach and the Hawaiian Village (see below) in North Myrtle Beach.
Golfers are given leis when they arrive at the Rumble. Hawaiian music (of the Elvis variety) and Jimmy Buffett songs play throughout the course. The volcano (made of concrete NOT foam) was a prop from the movie "Chasers". It emits flames and steam. The greens are immaculate, the landscaping is lush and their are Hawaiian names for each hole. Also on site is the Training Center for the USPMGA (U.S. Professional Mini Golf Association) which hopes to raise the status of mini golf to the Olympic level. This uncarpeted, 18-hole course is not open to the general public. For another example of this style course, see the Team USA Training Center in Jackson, WI. |
| Hawaiian Village North Myrtle Beach, SC |
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| The Hawaiian Village is undergoing conversion from a Wild West theme to a Hawaiian one. As of 2005, there were still storefronts, hokey tombstones and a caboose. Although I'm sure they'll do better business, it is definitely a cultural loss. The Village is also going to be used for national competitions. For more, see their website. |
| Jungle Safari Myrtle Beach, SC |
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Jungle Safari has its share of rocks and water but it also has lots of fun animals: elephants, zebras and giraffes. My gut feeling is that this was once an old-style, obstacle-rich place. Jungle Safari has lots of huge greens that you can really take a whack at with your putter. There was also a Jungle Caverns in Myrtle Beach (now gone) and there is a Jungle Lagoon in South Myrtle Beach but I don't think any of these places are related. |
| Mount Atlanticus Minotaur Goff Myrtle Beach, SC |
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| Mount Atlanticus Minotaur Goff (yes, that's how they spell it) opened in 1988 at a cost of $3 million. It is situated in the heart of Myrtle Beach, just next door to the Pavilion Amusement Park. Atlanticus offers two huge courses (the Minotaur and the Conch) in a truly unique setting: it occupies the former Art Deco department store, Chapin's. The courses twist through the building's three floors, up stairs on the side of it, and up to the roof with views of the beach and roller coasters. The holes themselves are challenging and creative. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. |
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